Washtenaw County Democratic Party Blog
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Washtenaw County Democratic Party Dems Update - 11/29/2005
Find out how to give Michigan a raise--and more Washtenaw Dems news.
EVENTS
Raucous Review Variety Show for Disaster ReliefWednesday November 30, 8 pm
WCC's Towsley Aud. in the Morris Lawrence Bldg
4800 E. Huron River Dr., Ann Arbor
Support disaster relief by attending a fantastic new show called the Raucous Review. The show is a Vaudeville styled variety show and will include music (jazz, R&B & rockabilly) and comedy (sketch & stand-up). The show is free but with a suggested
donation of $12.
DSCC Fundraiser Dinner for
Senator Stabenow, with honored guest Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Thursday December 1, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Henry Ford, Dearborn
Tickets are $250/person and child and you are encouraged to bring a child to enjoy the festivities, as this is a "family-friendly" event. Senators Barbara Boxer, Maria Cantwell and Carl Levin also to attend. To get more involved, join the Host Committee for this event by selling five tickets to the General Reception.
For more information please contact Leah Martin at 517-336-8500 or
by email.
Give Michigan a Raise!
Minimum Wage Campaign Kickoff
Thursday, December 8, 7 pm
Memorial Christian Church (corner of Tappan and Hill Streets in Ann Arbor)
Learn about how you and your fellow activists can get involved.
For more information, call Rick McHugh at 734-426-2181.
Al Franken Book SigningAl Franken signs copies of his new book, The Truth (with Jokes)
Thursday December 8, 7 pm
Borders, Downtown Ann Arbor
612 E. Liberty
TAKE ONE ACTION FOR CHANGE
Plan to hold a Granholm Gathering
Wednesday December 14, 7:30 pm
Bring your friends and neighbors together to learn about Governor Granholm's campaign--and her efforts to keep jobs in Michigan. For more information see
her campaign website.
GET INVOLVED
Help the Michigan Democratic Party's campaign to increase minimum wage and
get paid! Get involved in many different ways, part time or full time, and weekend
options paying between $7.15-$12.00 an hour. For more information, call Eric at 734-222-8010.
Join the Democrats, progressives and liberals online book club!
This month, read and discuss
The Fight Is For Democracy. There is no cost to participate. Messages are moderated so no spam will get through.
To join go to:
Yahoo Groups websiteFor more information, email
Jim.
Note: This is the weekly update for the Washtenaw County Democratic Party. To get your announcement in future issues of this newsletter, send information to
Marcy by Saturday at 5 pm. We reserve the right to refuse or edit submissions. Paid for by the Washtenaw County Democratic Party.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Washtenaw County Democratic Party Dems Update - 11/22/2005
Details on WCDP's new office and the start of the 2006 campaign season.
EVENTS
Anti-Wal-Mart Movie Premiere Week
3,000 grassroots screenings of Robert Greenwald's
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low PriceLast screening:
Tuesday November 22, 7 pm,
Democracy for AmericaCavern Club
210 S. First, Ann Arbor
DSCC Fundraiser Dinner for
Senator Stabenow, with honored guest Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Thursday December 1, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Henry Ford, Dearborn
Tickets are $250/person and child and you are encouraged to bring a child to enjoy the festivities, as this is a "family-friendly" event. Senators Barbara Boxer, Maria Cantwell and Carl Levin also to attend. To get more involved, join the Host Committee for this event by selling five tickets to the General Reception.
For more information please contact Leah Martin at 517-336-8500 or
by email.
Al Franken Book SigningAl Franken signs copies of his new book, The Truth (with Jokes)
Thursday December 8, 2005 7:00 pm
Borders, Downtown Ann Arbor
612 E. Liberty
TAKE ONE ACTION FOR CHANGE
Plan to hold a Granholm Gathering
Wednesday December 14th, 7:30 pm
Bring your friends and neighbors together to learn about Governor Granholm's campaign--and her efforts to keep jobs in Michigan. For more information see
her campaign website.
GET INVOLVED
Help the Michigan Democratic Party's campaign to increase minimum wage and
get paid! Get involved in many different ways, part time or full time, and weekend
options paying between $7.15-$12.00 an hour. For more information, call Eric at 734-222-8010.
Join the Democrats, progressives and liberals online book club!
This month, read and discuss
The Fight Is For Democracy. There is no cost to participate. Messages are moderated so no spam will get through.
To join go to:
Yahoo Groups websiteFor more information, email
Jim.
NEWS
WCDP opens a new office! Your local party is opening a new office in Ann Arbor. Once we get it up and running, it will provide a place for small meetings and voter ID phone banks. Keep your eye out for more news. And, if you'd like to support this kind of increased activity, please
donate to the WCDP!
GM has announced it will eliminate 30,000 jobs and close 4 plants in Michigan. Among the facilities to be closed in 2007 is Ypsilanti's Parts Processing Center.
For more information:
Free Press articleUAW article
Governor Granholm is working with Michigan's bipartisan congressional delegation
to support policies that help Michigan's ailing auto industry. Forging agreement between Michigan's Democrats and Republicans is an important step to getting pension, health care, and trade policies that will make American auto companies competitive.
For more information:
Detroit News article
State Representative
Pam Byrnes has helped secure funding to improve the
entrance and exit ramps on Baker Road. The total state contribution for the Baker Road project will be $9.5 million.
For more information:
Ann Arbor News articlePress Release
Note: This is the weekly update for the Washtenaw County Democratic Party. To get your announcement in future issues of this newsletter, send information to
Marcy by Saturday at 5 pm. We reserve the right to refuse or edit submissions. Paid for by the Washtenaw County Democratic Party.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Washtenaw County Democratic Party Dems Update - 11/8/2005
Details on tomorrow's WCDP meeting and more...
EVENTS
ELECTION DAY
Tuesday, November 8
2nd public forum on election reform: "Counting Votes in Washtenaw County"
Women Progressive ActivistsWednesday, November 9, 7 pm
Church of the Good Shepherd, 2145 Independence Ave, Ann Arbor
Presenters will be Senator Liz Brater, Deputy Clerk Pittsfield Township Jan
BenDor, Clerk of Pittsfield Township Feliziana Meyer, Chairman of the Voter
Protection Committee Jeff Souza, with Jean Ledwith King as Moderator. Event is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact
Barbara Clarke.
"Democratic Values"
Washtenaw County Democratic Party meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 pm
Pittsfield Twp Hall, corner of Michigan Ave & Platt, Ann Arbor
Speaker is Lynn Jondahl, Executive Director of the
Michigan Prospect (progressive think tank in Michigan), and former House Rep and Gubernatorial candidate.
35th Anniversary Event, featuring keynote speaker Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Ecology CenterThursday, November 10, 7:30 pm
Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor
Tickets for the lecture and reception are $50 per person, $15 for students. Seating is general admission.
For more information or to pre-purchase tickets,
email Stephanie or call (734) 761-3186 ext. 110.
Third Annual Evening of Recognition and Remembrance, honors Congressman John Dingell, Michigan Service Members discharged under "Don't Ask Don't Tell," and Ann Arbor Police Chief Dan Oates
Washtenaw Rainbow Action ProjectFriday, November 11, 7 - 9:30 pm
Kerrytown Market & Shops, Ann Arbor
$35 per person, $60 per couple. Hors d'oeuvres, wine, and dessert served.
RSVP
via email or call 734-665-5524.
Anti-Wal-Mart Movie Premiere Week
3,000 grassroots screenings of Robert Greenwald's
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low PriceScreenings include:
November 13, 7:30 pm,
Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice2020 Winewood, Ann Arbor
November 14, 7:30 pm,
Net ImpactRoss School of Business
University of Michigan
Room P1016 Patton Building
701 Tappan Street
November 16, 7 pm,
Pittsfield Community FirstSaline Middle School
7265 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Saline
November 22, 7 pm,
Democracy for AmericaCavern Club
210 S. First, Ann Arbor
Luncheon Fundraiser with Gov. Jennifer Granholm
State Representative Kathy Angerer, 55th District
Tuesday, November 15th, 11:30 am - 1 pm
At the home of Ed and Patricia Scribner
4295 Spring Lake Blvd, Ann Arbor (in Pittsfield Township)
Tickets are $250 and will help Kathy in her sure-to-be tough race for re-election next year. For advance tickets call Kathy's re-election committee: 734-812-4656.
Howard Dean will be here in Michigan!
MDP fundraiser for targeted MI House and Senate racesTuesday, November 15, 7 - 9 pm
Ernesto's, Plymouth
41661 Plymouth Rd, south side of Plymouth Rd, west of Haggerty Rd
An MDP fundraiser dinner with honored guest DNC Chair Governor Howard Dean. Tickets cost $100 for the general reception; private reception tickets also available.
For reservations or further information e-mail
rsvp4dean@comcast.net or call MDP at 517-371-5410.
Kickoff for the DNC 50-State StrategyUM College DemsTuesday, November 15, 9 pm
Wolverine ABC Room
Michigan Union, Ann Arbor
Camp Millie, Progressive Democratic Political Action Training ProgramThe Justice CaucusSaturday-Sunday, November 19-20
Holland, Michigan
Camp Millie is a 2-day intensive training program designed to give you the tools for effective progressive political action in your community. Our faculty of experienced political organizers will share their gifts on subjects grass roots activists, campaign managers and candidates must know to succeed. Tuition fee is $35, includes training materials and lunches.
1st Annual Paul Wellstone Memorial Award Dinner, honoring Michael Moore
The Progressive Caucus of the Genesee County Democratic PartySunday, November 20, 6 pm
Mott Community College, Flint
Note the rescheduled date! There will also be a private reception with Michael prior to the dinner. Dinner tickets are $65 and reception tickets are $100 (does not include dinner).
For more information e-mail
Maryion.
DSCC Fundraiser Dinner for
Senator Stabenow, with honored guest Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Thursday December 1, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Henry Ford, Dearborn
Tickets are $250/person and child and you are encouraged to bring a child to enjoy the festivities, as this is a "family-friendly" event. Senators Barbara Boxer, Maria Cantwell and Carl Levin also to attend. To get more involved, join the Host Committee for this event by selling five tickets to the General Reception.
For more information please contact Leah Martin at 517-336-8500 or
by email.
GET INVOLVED
Help the Michigan Democratic Party's campaign to increase minimum wage and
get paid! Get involved in many different ways, part time or full time, and weekend
options paying between $7.15-$12.00 an hour. For more information, call Eric at 734-222-8010.
NEWS
All three of Washtenaw County's Democratic representatives in DC scored important congressional oversight victories this week.
As the third-ranking member of Senate leadership, Senator Debbie Stabenow helped craft the plan to use a parliamentary tactic--invoking rule XXI--to shut down the Senate. The Democrats used this tactic to make the Republicans do what they have been promising to do for over two years--investigate how the Administration politicized intelligence leading up to the Iraq War. The tactic worked. In two weeks, a bipartisan group of six Senators will issue a schedule for completing the investigation. Senator Carl Levin will be one of those six Senators.
But Senator Levin is pressuring the Administration in other ways, too. He declassified and released a document to New York Times journalist Doug Jehl this weekend showing that an Al Qaeda captive who was behind some key Bush claims about a link between Al Qaeda and Iraq was deemed untrustworthy by the Defense Intelligence Agency well before Bush used that intelligence. The document Senator Levin released strongly suggests the Bush Administration used intelligence they knew to be suspect to make their case for going to war.
And in matters unrelated to the war in Iraq, Congressman John Dingell's effort to investigate the politicization of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) led this week to former chair Ken Tomlinson's resignation. Tomlinson was reported to use questionable tactics to politicize public broadcasting programs--targeting such programs as Bill Moyers' NOW. With Congressman David Obey (WI), Congressman Dingell asked the CPB's Inspector General to investigate. The results of the report have not been released yet, but in response to negative findings, Tomlinson was forced to step down.
For more information, see:
Forcing the Republicans to investigate politicized intelligence on IraqRevealing the doubts behind an Al Qaeda prisoner's claimsForcing Ken Tomlinson to step down
TAKE ONE ACTION FOR CHANGE
VOTE
Today is election day.
While most of the competitive races are at the city level, there are still important reasons to vote today, including millage requests. To find out whether a millage affects you, go to:
Washtenaw County's website
Note: This is the weekly update for the Washtenaw County Democratic Party. To get your announcement in future issues of this newsletter, send information to
Marcy by Saturday at 5 pm. We reserve the right to refuse or edit submissions. Paid for by the Washtenaw County Democratic Party.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Washtenaw County Democratic Party Dems Update - 11/1/2005
Details on next week's WCDP meeting and more...
EVENTS
Learn How to Save for College: Town Hall Forum
Hosted by State Rep Pam Byrnes
Wednesday, November 2, 7 pm
Mill Creek Middle School, 7305 Dexter-Ann Arbor Road, Dexter
Featuring two experts to discuss the Michigan Educational Trust and the Michigan Educational Savings Program. Robin McMillan is the program director for the Michigan Educational Trust, and Greg Crump is the tuition financing consultant for TIAA-CREF.
RSVP at 800-645-1581 or by e-mail to
Pam Byrnes.
Ann Arbor City Council Debate
New West Side AssociationWednesday, November 2, 7 pm
Michigan League, Henderson Room
History Professor Matt Lassiter will moderate. Including Bob Johnson, D-1st;
Stephen Rapundalo, D-2nd, and Tom Bourque, R-2nd (tentative); Leigh Greden, D-3rd; [and Rich Birkett, Ind(?)] Jim Hood, R-4th, and Marcia Higgins, D-4th; Wendy Woods, D-5th.
Ann Arbor Democratic Party meeting
Thursday, November 3, 7:30 pm
Ann Arbor Community Center, 625 N Main Street, between Felch and Summit
Meet two candidates for Ann Arbor City Council, Stephen Rapundalo, Second Ward and Marcia Higgins, Fourth Ward. Discuss emerald ash borer tree removal millage.
ELECTION DAY
Tuesday, November 8
2nd public forum on election reform: "Counting Votes in Washtenaw County"
Women Progressive ActivistsWednesday, November 9, 7 pm
Church of the Good Shepherd, 2145 Independence Ave, Ann Arbor
Presenters will be Senator Liz Brater, Deputy Clerk Pittsfield Township Jan
BenDor, Clerk of Pittsfield Township Feliziana Meyer, Chairman of the Voter
Protection Committee Jeff Souza, with Jean Ledwith King as Moderator. Event is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact
Barbara Clarke.
"Democratic Values"
Washtenaw County Democratic Party meeting
Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 pm
Pittsfield Twp Hall, corner of Michigan Ave & Platt, Ann Arbor
Speaker is Lynn Jondahl, Executive Director of the
Michigan Prospect (progressive think tank in Michigan), and former House Rep and Gubernatorial candidate.
Third Annual Evening of Recognition and Remembrance, honors Congressman John Dingell, Michigan Service Members discharged under "Don't Ask Don't Tell," and Ann Arbor Police Chief Dan Oates
Washtenaw Rainbow Action ProjectFriday, November 11, 7 - 9:30 pm
Kerrytown Market & Shops, Ann Arbor
$35 per person, $60 per couple. Hors d'oeuvres, wine, and dessert served.
RSVP
via email or call 734-665-5524.
Howard Dean will be here in Michigan!
MDP fundraiser for targeted MI House and Senate racesTuesday, November 15, 7 - 9 pm
Ernesto's, Plymouth
41661 Plymouth Rd, south side of Plymouth Rd, west of Haggerty Rd
An MDP fundraiser dinner with honored guest DNC Chair Governor Howard Dean. Tickets cost $100 for the general reception; private reception tickets also available.
For reservations or further information e-mail
rsvp4dean@comcast.net or call MDP at 517-371-5410.
Camp Millie, Progressive Democratic Political Action Training ProgramThe Justice CaucusSaturday-Sunday, November 19-20
Holland, Michigan
Camp Millie is a 2-day intensive training program designed to give you the tools for effective progressive political action in your community. Our faculty of experienced political organizers will share their gifts on subjects grass roots activists, campaign managers and candidates must know to succeed. Tuition fee is $35, includes training materials and lunches.
1st Annual Paul Wellstone Memorial Award Dinner, honoring Michael Moore
The Progressive Caucus of the Genesee County Democratic PartySunday, November 20, 6 pm
Mott Community College, Flint
Note the rescheduled date! There will also be a private reception with Michael prior to the dinner. Dinner tickets are $65 and reception tickets are $100 (does not include dinner).
For more information e-mail
Maryion.
DSCC Fundraiser Dinner for
Senator Stabenow, with honored guest Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Thursday December 1, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Henry Ford, Dearborn
Tickets are $250/person and child and you are encouraged to bring a child to enjoy the festivities, as this is a "family-friendly" event. Senators Barbara Boxer, Maria Cantwell and Carl Levin also to attend. To get more involved, join the Host Committee for this event by selling five tickets to the General Reception.
For more information please contact Leah Martin at 517-336-8500 or
by email.
GET INVOLVED
Help Democratic Candidate for Ann Arbor's 2nd Ward, Stephen Rapundalo,
canvass voters and do lit drops this weekend before the November 8
election. This race will be very competitive - help a Democrat win this seat for the first time in 20 years! For more information, contact
Stephen Rapundalo. Or go to his
campaign website.
Help Democratic Candidate for Ann Arbor's 4th Ward, Marcia Higgins, drop
campaign literature this Saturday, November 5. Meet at her house, 1512 Marion (off West Stadium) at 9 am and distribute until about 11:30 am, or until done. For more information call 734-663-7307 or email
Leah Gunn.
Help close polls in Ann Arbor on election night, Tuesday November 8. Pick up poll
tapes after the polls close and ensure that all votes are counted accurately. For more information, email
Leah Gunn (for Marcia Higgins) or
Stephen Rapundalo.
Help the Michigan Democratic Party's campaign to increase minimum wage and
get paid! Get involved in many different ways, part time or full time, and weekend
options paying between $7.15-$12.00 an hour. For more information, call Eric at 734-222-8010.
NEWS
Bush suffered four significant setbacks in the past week. These are:
Top Cheney aide Scooter Libby was indicted on two counts of perjury, two counts of False Statements, and one count of obstruction.
Facing bipartisan opposition, Bush was forced to reinstate the Davis-Bacon law for Gulf Coast reconstruction (meaning the hurricane survivors will make a reasonable wage as they work to rebuild their lives).
Bush had to abandon plans to develop "bunker buster" nuclear weapons.
Facing conservative opposition, Harriet Miers was forced to wthdraw her nomination for Supreme Court.
For more details:
Scooter LibbyDavis BaconBunker BustersHarriet Miers
TAKE ONE ACTION FOR CHANGE
To replace Harriet Miers, Bush has nominated the hard-right Samuel Alito. This signals Bush wants a direct confrontation in the Senate -- which he will no doubt get. The Democrats and their allies will need concerted action to defeat this nomination. Join People for the American Way (PFAW)--the leading activitist group on judicial appointments--and help fight this nomination.
Sign up for action alerts and help PFAW oppose this nomination.
Note: This is the weekly update for the Washtenaw County Democratic Party. To get your announcement in future issues of this newsletter, send information to
Marcy by Saturday at 5 pm. We reserve the right to refuse or edit submissions. Paid for by the Washtenaw County Democratic Party.
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